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CLOSED BORDER HURTING EASTERN TURKEY MORE THAN ARMENIA, SAYS NEW HRANT DINK FOUNDATION STUDY
Anna Muradyan
10:50, December 9, 2014
According to a recent study entitled "Research on the Socio-Economic
Impact of the Turkey-Armenia Border" commissioned by the Hrant Dink
Foundation it would appear that the closed border between the two
neighboring countries is hurting citizens on the Turkish side more
than the Armenian.
On page 73 of the study we read:
The TRA2 region (Kars, Igdır, Agrı, Ardahan),a majority of which
is located right on the border with Armenia, cannot benefit from the
opportunities offered by free trade agreements - unlike the other
regions of Turkey - due to the sealed border. The region also cannot
benefit from the indirect trade between Armenia and Turkey as the
border is closed and these goods get shipped from regions close to
Georgia or Iran borders. Besides, since the existing trade with Armenia
is not legal and comes at a high transit cost, due to the sealed land
border, the volume of the existing trade remains very limited.
According to Zumrut Ä°mamoglu, a Research Associate at Bahcesehir
University's Center for Economic and Social Research, Turkey's opening
the border with Armenia would not only mean economic development and
growth for the residents of Kars, but also a window to communicate
with the outside world.
"People say that their lives end at the border and that they want to
change that end point and to feel free. There are those who say that
Turkey, by keeping the border closed, is penalizing the residents of
Kars and not Armenia," says Ä°mamoglu, who presented the conclusions of
the study at a two day conference held in Ankara on November 22 and 23.
The study also concludes that despite the small scale of Armenia's
economy, opening the border would benefit the eastern regions of
Turkey substantially.
On page 75, we read:
It is estimated that employment in the border region will increase
approximately by fifty percent within a period of five years in case
of opening up of the Armenia border. Retail trade, accommodation and
transportation sectors are amongst those that are expected to grow.
The study findings suggest that the opening of the border will not
only increase transit trade but will also have real impact on the
regional economy.
The study notes that residents of the Kars Province (located in
Turkey's TRA2 development zone; the least developed in Turkey) have
been migrating. Fourteen years ago the region had a population of
325,000. That number now stands at 78,000.
During her presentation Ä°mamoglu noted that residents complained
that they couldn't take advantage of the trade taking place with
Armenia since it now passes through Georgia.
On page 73 we read:
While Turkey continues to trade with all the neighbouring countries
in her land borders, with or without signed free trade agreements,
her border with Armenia remains sealed since 1993. This is indeed
the only closed land border in Turkey. Besides, import and export
activities with Armenia are carried out through indirect channels
and in limited volumes. There are anecdotes and accounts referring to
the limited volume of goods being exported to Armenia through other
countries (Georgia, Iran). According to the estimates from Armenia,
every year goods worth US$300 million are imported from Turkey. 1 On
the other hand, official data in Turkey gives us different figures;
exports to Armenia were US$241,000 in 2012, and imports from Armenia
were US$222,000.
Given that Kars has no manufacturing base, the Turkish government has
tried to encourage people to stay and work in the region by lifting
tax obligations.
"But people say they would rather be registered as unemployed and
receive benefits rather than paying social security to the state,"
says the researcher.
The study concludes that if the border would open the number of
registered private sector workers would increase 7% every year in
the region.
"One of the most terrible things is that people have lost the
optimism and will to live. They say it's like they've been covered
with graveyard dirt and are slowly dying," Ä°mamoglu said.
Former Kars mayor Naif Alibeyoglu says that if residents knew that
the border would open they'd invest in the region and build plants
Alibeyoglu has always spoken in favor of opening the border and
normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia.
During his tenure in office, Alibeyoglu launched a campaign in 2005
in which 50,000 inhabitants of Kars signed a petition for open borders
and submitted their common demand to the government.
Sayat Tekir, an Istanbul Armenia researcher who conducted interviews
on both sides of the closed border, says that he found people on
either side to be excited about the prospect of an open border.
"However, at the same time, they also felt fear, saying that they
do not recognize those living on the other side and that while they
freely walk the streets on their side, they don't know what will
happen if the border is opened," Tekir says.
Regarding the past history of the region, we read the following policy
recommendation on page 76 of the study:
It is necessary for the region to lay claim to its historical past and
to, once again, receive all the people who have lived here with open
arms in order for it to be able to evaluate the tourism potential of
the region. Hence it is imperative for the historical fabric of the
city to be preserved, for the sites of ruins to be maintained and for
new archaeological excavations and similar activities to be initiated.
P.S. The "Research on the Socio-Economic Impact of the Turkey-Armenia
Border" was commissioned by the Hrant Dink Foundation with the support
of TUSÄ°AD (Industry and Business Association of Turkey) and Istanbul
Policy Center (IPC). The study was conducted by two institutions
reputable in their fields: BETAM (BahceÅ~_ehir University Center for
Economic and Social Research) and SAM (Social Research Center)
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57708/closed-border-hurting-eastern-turkey-more-than-armenia-says-new-hrant-dink-foundation-study.html
Anna Muradyan
10:50, December 9, 2014
According to a recent study entitled "Research on the Socio-Economic
Impact of the Turkey-Armenia Border" commissioned by the Hrant Dink
Foundation it would appear that the closed border between the two
neighboring countries is hurting citizens on the Turkish side more
than the Armenian.
On page 73 of the study we read:
The TRA2 region (Kars, Igdır, Agrı, Ardahan),a majority of which
is located right on the border with Armenia, cannot benefit from the
opportunities offered by free trade agreements - unlike the other
regions of Turkey - due to the sealed border. The region also cannot
benefit from the indirect trade between Armenia and Turkey as the
border is closed and these goods get shipped from regions close to
Georgia or Iran borders. Besides, since the existing trade with Armenia
is not legal and comes at a high transit cost, due to the sealed land
border, the volume of the existing trade remains very limited.
According to Zumrut Ä°mamoglu, a Research Associate at Bahcesehir
University's Center for Economic and Social Research, Turkey's opening
the border with Armenia would not only mean economic development and
growth for the residents of Kars, but also a window to communicate
with the outside world.
"People say that their lives end at the border and that they want to
change that end point and to feel free. There are those who say that
Turkey, by keeping the border closed, is penalizing the residents of
Kars and not Armenia," says Ä°mamoglu, who presented the conclusions of
the study at a two day conference held in Ankara on November 22 and 23.
The study also concludes that despite the small scale of Armenia's
economy, opening the border would benefit the eastern regions of
Turkey substantially.
On page 75, we read:
It is estimated that employment in the border region will increase
approximately by fifty percent within a period of five years in case
of opening up of the Armenia border. Retail trade, accommodation and
transportation sectors are amongst those that are expected to grow.
The study findings suggest that the opening of the border will not
only increase transit trade but will also have real impact on the
regional economy.
The study notes that residents of the Kars Province (located in
Turkey's TRA2 development zone; the least developed in Turkey) have
been migrating. Fourteen years ago the region had a population of
325,000. That number now stands at 78,000.
During her presentation Ä°mamoglu noted that residents complained
that they couldn't take advantage of the trade taking place with
Armenia since it now passes through Georgia.
On page 73 we read:
While Turkey continues to trade with all the neighbouring countries
in her land borders, with or without signed free trade agreements,
her border with Armenia remains sealed since 1993. This is indeed
the only closed land border in Turkey. Besides, import and export
activities with Armenia are carried out through indirect channels
and in limited volumes. There are anecdotes and accounts referring to
the limited volume of goods being exported to Armenia through other
countries (Georgia, Iran). According to the estimates from Armenia,
every year goods worth US$300 million are imported from Turkey. 1 On
the other hand, official data in Turkey gives us different figures;
exports to Armenia were US$241,000 in 2012, and imports from Armenia
were US$222,000.
Given that Kars has no manufacturing base, the Turkish government has
tried to encourage people to stay and work in the region by lifting
tax obligations.
"But people say they would rather be registered as unemployed and
receive benefits rather than paying social security to the state,"
says the researcher.
The study concludes that if the border would open the number of
registered private sector workers would increase 7% every year in
the region.
"One of the most terrible things is that people have lost the
optimism and will to live. They say it's like they've been covered
with graveyard dirt and are slowly dying," Ä°mamoglu said.
Former Kars mayor Naif Alibeyoglu says that if residents knew that
the border would open they'd invest in the region and build plants
Alibeyoglu has always spoken in favor of opening the border and
normalizing relations between Turkey and Armenia.
During his tenure in office, Alibeyoglu launched a campaign in 2005
in which 50,000 inhabitants of Kars signed a petition for open borders
and submitted their common demand to the government.
Sayat Tekir, an Istanbul Armenia researcher who conducted interviews
on both sides of the closed border, says that he found people on
either side to be excited about the prospect of an open border.
"However, at the same time, they also felt fear, saying that they
do not recognize those living on the other side and that while they
freely walk the streets on their side, they don't know what will
happen if the border is opened," Tekir says.
Regarding the past history of the region, we read the following policy
recommendation on page 76 of the study:
It is necessary for the region to lay claim to its historical past and
to, once again, receive all the people who have lived here with open
arms in order for it to be able to evaluate the tourism potential of
the region. Hence it is imperative for the historical fabric of the
city to be preserved, for the sites of ruins to be maintained and for
new archaeological excavations and similar activities to be initiated.
P.S. The "Research on the Socio-Economic Impact of the Turkey-Armenia
Border" was commissioned by the Hrant Dink Foundation with the support
of TUSÄ°AD (Industry and Business Association of Turkey) and Istanbul
Policy Center (IPC). The study was conducted by two institutions
reputable in their fields: BETAM (BahceÅ~_ehir University Center for
Economic and Social Research) and SAM (Social Research Center)
http://hetq.am/eng/news/57708/closed-border-hurting-eastern-turkey-more-than-armenia-says-new-hrant-dink-foundation-study.html